Broadcast seeder.



B. M. STEELE.

BROADCAST SEEDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23, m5.

121 2,835. Patented Jan 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I ml n B. M. STEELE.

BROADCAST SEEDER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 231mm. Patented Jan. 16,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- my seeder; Fig; 2 a side View thereof look-.

sawrns rad ans orrircn.

BENJAMIN 1VI. STEELE, 0F IPEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO PEORIA DRILL ANDS EEDER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. 1

' BROADCAST SEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pat te Jan. 16, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. STEELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the countyof Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Broadcast Seeders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to broadcast seeding machines of the type which is designed to be mounted upon a removable member adapted for disposition as a closure member at the rear end of a wagon.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide improved means for delivering grain from a hopper to the seed distributing member and valve control for such delivery.

Another object is to relatively arrange parts of the complete mechanism that the hopper member may lie over or extend within the wagon body and discharge from a point above the wagon inclosure member to operative devices disposed at the rear of the latter, thus saving mutilation of either the wagon body or the inclosure member t efiect discharge through either.

A further object ofmy invention has to do with the relative arrangement of hopper feeding and distributing members to secure compactness of the complete device.

A further object is the provision of an end-gate comprising parts relatively arranged and specially adapted for supporting the hopper member in conjunction and Operative relation with other working parts of the device; also includes sectionalizing the end-gate on longitudinal lines and connections for relative adjustment of said sections to vary its length tomeet the contin gencies of use in wagon boXes'o-f different widths and to means applied to the ends of the end-gate sections, especially designing them for engagement with ways to effect perfect closure of the end of the Wagon.

My invention also has reference to general structural and combination features appearing in the disclosure herein and specially pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view of ing at the right hand side of Fig. 1, the end-gate beingshown in section on the line aa of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, portions of the seeder mechanism being removed for better illustration; Fig. 4.

a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 a sectionalview.

of the grain feeding mechanism on the line 0-0 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 an enlarged view of the valves and adjacent parts of the grain feeding mechanism looking at same from the interior of the hopper, portions being broken away for better illustration; Fig. 7

a fragmentary view on the line cZ--d of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 a side view of an end portion of the end-gate showing the means for lengthening the'end-gate, and the end plate whereby the end-gate is secured in the endgate ways of the wagon Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 a perspective view of. one of the valves for controlling the supply of grain to the distributers; :Fig. 11 a perspective viewof one of the end plates for the end gate; Fig. 12 a sectional view of the grain feeding mechanism taken on the line ff of Fig. 1 and Fig. 13 is a sectional View on the line g--g of Fig. 12.

In the construction of seeding machines of this type, it is a common practice to employ a rotary feed member provided with flutes or grooves, as pockets-or recesses, for

the reception of grain, and is a means for carrying measured quantities for discharge to distributers. These feed members are universallysnugly fitted within'casings, and

a hopper element is arranged to communicate with an opening in such casing, and said opening is rendered controllable as to dimension by means of avalve, and necessarily and particularly, in conjunction with the handling of oats- (whichlatter use comprehends the largest service of broadcast seeders) an agitator is employed adjacent the feed entrance, to prevent packing and bridging of the grain.

Another plan of feed that is used in connection with broadcast seeders is that of a carrying wheel similar in character'to the one disclosed herein, and adapted to work through'a passageway in substantially the same manner. However, in the prior art patents and in the structures developed under the same, no valve control is provided,

the quantity of seed sown being regulated by change in speed of the carrying wheel,

such change of speed being accomplished by I have phcation V tempting to regulate the speed adjustment of driving gears, furthermore, T have found that in a taining the high speed necessary to sow certain required quantities of grain, that the carrying wheel will cut through thebody of grain, within the hopper, and will wholly fail to carry a proportionate quantity in accordance with its increase of speed, thus rendering the feed inaccurate and wholly ineflicient to meet certain requirements of use. I have found from experience, also, that the practice of the above outlined feeding plans is not entirely sat1s factory, and is measurably inefficient generally,.and very iIlG'lllClQIlt under various con-v ditions of use.

In my plan of construction, a carrying wheel. is provided and so associated with the hopper as to travel through the body of grain within said hopper, and the directing walls of the inclosing casing for said carrying wheel are arranged relative to said hopper to prevent as much as possible the weight of the body of grain within said hopper from bearing down heavily upon or packing within the runway for said wheel and within the hopper, also I have determined to run the carrying wheel at a predetermined relatively slow speed, that is, a speed such as will carry at all times and not cut through without carrying the body of grain within the hopper; also I use a valve or scraper disposed in a position at a substan tial angle relative to the carrying surface of the wheel, such valve being ad ustable to increase or diminish at will the outlet opening into the channelway leading to discharge ducts and to the fan members. This valve acts as a sort of scraper to scrape ofl the excess over the quantity desired to be fed.

This seeder as a whole is designed to be supported atthe rear end of a wagon, and is mounted on an end gate which fits within the end gate ways at the rear of the wagon bed. This end gate consists of a lower section composed of the two abutting parts 1 and 2 and the upper section which is inclined forwardly at an angle to the lower section of the end gate and consists of the abutting parts 3 and 4;. At each side of this end gate is a brace, shown in Fig. 11, which consists of the portion 5 which is folded around the end of the lower half of the end gate and extends thereabove, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, this portion 5 being arranged to slide within the end gate ways commonly provided on wagons. Each of these braces has a forwardly extending plate 6 at the top thereof and above the lower half of the end gate, and at the forward end this plate has the flange 7 which is turned inwardly and extendsat an angle to the lower section of theend gate and supports the upper section of the end gate thereon.

In order that the end gate may be extended lengthwise to fit wagons of various widths, the lower half of the end gate is made of the two abutting sections 1 and 2 the upper half of the two corresponding abutting sections 3 and 4, as aforesaid, which are secured together and held in alinement by means of plates 8 and 9 on the outside and inside of the end gate respectively. These plates are provided with slots 9 extending lengthwise of the end gate through which the bolts 10 are passed. To extend or shorten the end gate, it is only necessary to loosen the bolts and adjust the end gate to the desired length.

Mounted upon the end gate is a casing for the feed member referred to generally as 26, which said casing consists of the two corresponding right and left half sections 11 and 11 which contain the seed feeding member comprising disk 27 and flange 27. This casing is provided with integral flanges which conform to the angular formation of the end gate and are secured thereto by means of the bolts 4-8 and 49. These flanges immediately above the inclined sections of the end gate are formed as shown to support the grain hopper l2. Secured to the end gate and extending upwardly therefrom is a broad casting 13 which is adapted to support the seed distributers. The seeder shown is of the double fan type and has the two fans 1% mounted directlyv under the casting 13, which. said casting is so constructed to form a shield for said fans. These fans are secured on the shafts 15 which project upwardly through and are journaled in the bearings 16, bolted on the top of the casting 13. Immediately above the bearing 16 is a beveled pinion indicated diagrammatically at 17 which is fast on the shaft 15 and immediately above the plnion is a bearing 18 in which the upper end of the shaft 15 is journaled.

The castings 11 and 11 are formed with the bearing and the internal rotary feed member 26 is secured on the shaft 28 and journaled in the bearings 50 to rotate within the casing formed by the castings l1 and 1.1. This feeding member consists of the circular disk 27 which divides the feeding member into two half sections and this disk 1 has a flange 27 extending laterally at each side around its periphery, the inner surfaces of which said flanges are designed to carry the grain from the hopper to be delivered to the fans, and to facilitate the carrying of'the grain the said flanges are provided with internal ribs 29 which extend crosswise of the internal periphery of each half of the feed member so as to readily engage the grain. The feed member 26 operates in to prevent any grain from entering therebe tween.

The feed member 26 projects at one side within the hopper 12 as shown in Figs. 12 and 13 so that the grain from. the hopper will readily pass to the interior of the feed member at each side thereof, and in order to prevent the grain from entirely filling the interior of the feed member the castings 11 and 11 are provided with the inwardly extending flanges 51 which thoroughly obstruct passage of grain from the hopper. These flanges extend vertically as shown and terminate at their lower ends some distance from the inner periphery of the feed member and are continued in an arc as at 52 concentric with and some distance from the flange 27 of the feed member so as to provide a restricted passageway 53 at each side of the feed member through which the grain may be carried on the flange 27 to the point where it is discharged therefrom, but because the passageway is restricted, prevents the grain from passing through the casing when the machine is'at rest. Opposite the hopper 12, each of the castings 11 and 11 is provided with an opening 30 which is surrounded by an outwardly projecting flange 31 through which the grain is adapted to be discharged from the feed member To facilitate discharge of the grain from the feed member 26, each casting 11 and 11 is provided at the top of the opening 30 with a flange or deflecting wall 32 whichv extends inwardly and downwardly from the upper portion of the opening to the disk 27 of the feed member, said flange being cut away as at 33 .to provide clearance for the rim'of the feed member. This flange has an inclined portion 32 which is also'provided with an opening 34 through which anysurplus grain which is carried into the upper part of the casing may be discharged and carried forwardly on the feed member. The function of this flange 32 is-to cause the grain carried up by the feed member 27 to be thrown outwardly through the'opening 30. For regulation of the quantity of grain discharged from the hopper 12, there is a vertical sliding valve 40 at each side of the feed member 26 adjacent the flange 51. This valve is vertically adjustable to and from the flange 51 of the feed member so as to provide more or less clearance between the lower end of said valve and the carrying flange of the feed member so as to regulate the depth or volume of grain carried by the flange 51 from the grain hopper-to the discharge opening. As is apparent, there is no grinding or breaking of the grain between close operating surfaces as in seeding machinery heretofore employed, but the grain is carried by means of the flange in a loose condition from the hopper to the a discharge opening. The valve 40 is cut out as at 41 to provide cle-arancefor the-flange 0f the-feed member 26 and ribs thereon,

when the valve is in the lowermost or closed positiomand in order to avoid wedging of the grain the lower edge of thevalveis curved inwardly-as shown in a direction toward the hopper so that the grain'which is set in motion by the feed member 26 is not permitted to pass by the valve, but is'directed upwardly by means of the curved formation at the lower end of the valve. This valve is adjustable by means of the stem 42 which extends through a vertical slot 43 in each side of the casing '11 and has the inner end thereof threaded as at 44 to engage a threaded opening 45 in the flange 46 whichextends vertically along the outer wall of the valve 40, said flange 46 being of suflicient width and' length to entirely cover the slot 43, in any position to which the valve may be adjusted. For convenience, there is provided a-graduated scale along each slot 43 and at the outer side to indicate the position ofthe valve for'delivering certain quantitiesof grain, and an indicator 47- is mounted on the stem 42 to facilitate proper adjustment of the valve according to the graduated sc'ale.-

At the inner side of the; hopper 12 is a 4 curved shield 48' which is connected to the casing 11 and'extends around the outer face of the feed member 26, and in close relation thereto so as to shield the moving feed memher from the pressure of the grain and cause I said grain to pass at each side thereof to the interior of the feed member.

At each side of the casing 11 is aboot 35, the upper portion of which is formed so as to fit around the flange 31 and .extends upwardly so as to receive allof the grain which is discharged from the feed member'26. The 7 lower portion of these boots extends through openings within the upper face of'the plate 13 so as to discharge onto the distributer fans 14, said plate 13 being provided with uprising flanges 36 which embrace'the lower ends of the boots so as to insure deposit of all the grain from the boots onto the fans. These boots 35 are pivoted as at 37 so as to swing laterally for the purpose of changing the position of their lower ends to regulate the point of deliveryof grain onto the fans and consequently, the discharge area of the fans and these boots are-connected by means of slotted bars 38 and wing nuts 39 to the end gate of the wagon so that they maybe adjusted and secured in'their adjusted position. 7 a V The usual grass feeding attachment is provided at the rear of the hopper 12 and consists of the grass seed'hopper 49 which delivers to a casting 50 at the lower end, which the sprockets 51 said'casting contains the usual agitator and feed regulating means which are driven by and 52 respectively. Spouts 58 extend to the upper ends of the boots 35 so as to discharge thereinto, said spouts being arranged at their upper ends to receive the grass seed delivered by the grass seed feeding device. The usual valve 54 is adjustable by means of the wing nut 55 which is provided for controlling the quantity of grass seed delivered.

The shaft 28 which carries the feed member 26 hereinbefore described, extends outside the casing 11 and is provided with a sprocket 56 thereon which is in alinement with the sprockets 51 and 52 of the grass seeding mechanism and also the sprocket 57 on the main shaft 21. The sprocket chain 58 is passed around these said sprockets so that the sprockets 51, 52 and 56 are driven from the sprockets 57 on the main shaft and there is a chain tightening roller 59 which is mounted on a bracket 60 which swings on the spindle 61 so that the said roller may be adjusted to regulate the tension of the chain 58. 2

Assuming that the seeding machine is mounted on the end gate of a wagon and the chain 23 properly connected to a chain wheel on the wagon wheel, the mechanism of the seederwill be-operated through the clutch 24 and snaft 21. The feed member 26 is thereby revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 4, so as to carry grain from the hopper 12 through the feed passageways to the distributers. The valves 40 are opened and adjusted to the desired position by means of the stem 42 which allows the revolvingfeed member 26 and ribs-29 thereof to carry the grain underthe valves 40 to the opening 30, the valve as a wall portion of the hopper cutting ofl' all excess over the desired feed. As soon as the grain reaches the opening 30 and the flange 31 therein, it falls out through said opening and down the spouts 35 onto the distributer fans 14.

If it is desired at any time to use this seeder on a wagon of different width, it is only necessary to loosen the bolts 10 when the two portions of the end gate wagon can be adjusted to or from each other and the end gate made the proper length to fit in the end of the wagon.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a hopper, a chute member, a casing interposed therebetween having an inlet, a restricted passageway therein and an outlet, a peripherally flanged disk supported to facilitate the travel of a limited portion thereof through the lower end of the hopper and also a limited portion, including the peripherally flanged part, through the restricted passageway,

and a valve disposed at the inlet opening and related thereto and to the flanged carrying surface of the disk that by spacing the same in a graduated manner from the inner face of the said flanged part graduated quantities of grain as desired may be fed into the restricted passageway and the body of the grain in the hopper will be held by the valve body from bearing except upon a limited portion of the surface of said disk.

2. In combination, a hopper, a chute, a casing provided with an outlet and an inlet communicating respectively with the outlet from the hopper and with the chute, said casing being provided with a channelway and expanded at approximately the inlet to said channel, a rotatable disk supported in the casing provided with a peripherally flanged portion channeled on its inner surface and disposed relative to the casing and the hopper to travel through the expanded portion and the channelway of the casing, a valve at the inlet of the channelway adjustable, relative to the inner face of the peripheral flange of the disk member to regulate the quantity of grain passing to said channelway, a chute adapted to receive the discharge from the casing.

3. In combination, a hopper, a casing provided with a channelway therein and expanded in advance of the entrance to said channelway and also provided with an outlet portion communicating with the dis- 7 charge end of said channelway expanded for clearance and provided with a deflector portion having an escape opening therethrough and inclined toward the channelway, a rotatable disk member disposed relative to the hopper and the channelway in the casing to travel through both said hopper and said channelway, a valve at the entrance to the channelway to the casing adjustable relative to the inner face of the flange of the disk to regulate the quantity of the grain admitted to said channelway, and a chute adapted to receive discharge from the outlet of the casmg.

' 4. In combination with a hopper and with rotatable fan distributers of a rotatable seed carrying member interposed therebetween comprising a disk member and flanges, extending laterally each side from the periphery, said disk having interior ribs, a casing inclosing a portion of said feeding member, having a wall conformatory to the peripheral flanges of said feeding wheel, a wall spaced therefrom and lying between the axial center of said wheel, and said peripheral wall, and said closure walls connecting said peripheral, and interior wall, discharge openings at either side ofvthe casing comprising laterally, extended flanged portions from said casing, and an inclined deflector member forming part of said casing having Witnesses Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing Washington, D. G.

able valve for limiting the size of the opening into the channelway of the casing.

In testimony whereof I have aifixed mysignature in presence of two Witnesses.

BENJAlVIIN M. STEELE.

MARY E. COMEGYS, H. V. GIBSON.

the Commissioner of Patents, 

